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Crew foreman dies due to electric arc from powerline.

A case study of a worker electrocuted by an electric arc from a power line was examined. The employer had contracted with a local utility company to relay an existing line and add new wire to the system; the crew was in the process of performing the work on the day of the accident. One of the three 7,200 Volt (V) alternating current (AC) lines had to be moved from the span between poles numbered 1 and 2. The conductor had to be cut and moved to form spans 1 to 2 and 2 to 3. The victim, a 49 year old construction worker, was working from an aerial lift device during dead ending of the span conductor between poles number 1 and 2. The dead end of the conductor was to be attached to a dead end insulator device. The conductor was too long for the span and could not be properly attached to the dead end insulator device. In the process of correcting the condition, an electric arc occurred while the victim was preparing to move the wire grip on the conductor for attaching the span end to the dead end device. The victim was transported to a specialized burn center where he expired the following day. The medical examination listed the probable cause of death as electrocution and severe burns. The authors recommend that upper management should observe field crew safety practices more frequently, all energized or grounding conductors within the work area should be protected by insulating materials, all crew members should wear protective clothing and equipment, and optical measuring devices should be considered for use by workers in aerial lifting devices.